Aetna Releases Health-Care Cost Tool

August 11, 2004 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Aetna has
introduced Estimate the Cost of Care, a new suite of cost
tools aimed at meeting consumer demand for cost information
to make well-informed decisions about health care
spending.

The tools will be available on Aetna Navigator, the
company’s customized member portal, which will
now offer enhanced cost information for prescription
drugs, medical and dental procedures, office visits and
medical tests. The suite of tools helps members to
predict their costs over the course of a year for a range
of diseases and conditions based on their level of
severity, according to a news release.

The Estimate the Cost of Care suite of tools
expands on the existing tools by providing an interactive
way to view cost information in several new categories
and provides a comparison of estimated average in- and
out-of-network costs, including:

Prescription Drugs –offers links to information about specific drugs,
drug uses and interactions, and the cost of brand and
generic prescription drugs at retail drug stores and
through Aetna’s mail-order drug program.

Medical Procedures –compares the costs for selected medical
procedures and surgeries such as arthroscopy and
colonoscopy, and demonstrates the potential cost
savings if members choose participating
physicians.

Office Visits –compares the costs by type and complexity level
for visits such as routine physicals and emergency room
visits, and shows the potential cost savings if members
choose participating physicians or hospitals.

Medical Tests –compares the costs for lab tests, X-rays, MRIs
and other services and illustrates the potential cost
savings if members use participating testing
facilities.

Diseases and Conditions – provides up to a year
of estimated average total in-network costs for
facility, doctor, pharmacy, and medical tests
associated with specific diseases and conditions, such
as asthma or diabetes, depending on their level of
severity.

“The Estimate the Cost of Care suite of tools
illustratesAetna’s commitment to continuously enhance the
tools and information that help consumers anticipate and
take charge of their health care expenses,”said Robin Downey, head of product development
at Aetna.